


Prime

by keirajo



Series: TF:MTMTE/LL-A.U. (divergence from canon) [9]
Category: The Transformers (IDW Generation One)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Endings, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-18
Updated: 2018-06-18
Packaged: 2019-05-25 02:32:35
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 18,916
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14967221
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/keirajo/pseuds/keirajo
Summary: Megatron and Rodimus have had an interesting relationship............loving, exciting and most of all, incredibly rocky and rough.   To get to their happy ending, they first need to deal with Unicron.  Arise..........Rodimus Prime!





	Prime

**Author's Note:**

> Who says Megatron and Rodimus can't have a happy ending? :)
> 
> This part's homages: "The Transformers: The Movie" (1986) and.....pretty much any time Usagi opens the Ginzuishou (Silver Crystal). Both homages of which are absolutely obvious. XD

**_ Prime _ **

 

 

            Megatron had resorted to enlisting an astronavigator and a geology specialist for continuing his research.  He could try to do all of it alone, he had the skills, but it would be much faster if the professionals could do the work for him, so he could continue on the other routes of his research.   Finding all spots where the meteors struck Cybertron over time was difficult, as not all of them had been recorded.  But for what information they had, they would triangulate the meteor showers with hotspots within a given time frame.  But every coordinate needed to be triangulated physically and theoretically—thus the need for both of the specialists.

            Meanwhile, Rodimus had gone out with a new crew on the _Lost Light_ to visit the colonies and seek any information they could find on Corona.  Megatron and Rodimus thought the colonies might still have legends of the Trinity, where Cybertron buried it all as illogical myth.   Though……….there had been a number of the crew wondering why they were chasing stories of a myth right now…………

            Megatron had hoped to have all the triangulation done for what they were looking for on Cybertron by the time Rodimus came back from interviews at the colonies.

            “No, _you_ look…….!”  Windsweeper began, frustrated with his partner on the project, Backstreet.  “It’s fine to think that, but you have to consider the land shifts……..the eras and the positions of the moons in those eras!”  He groaned softly.

            “Most of it shouldn’t matter much, Cybertron was a static planet until the recent reformat by Vector Sigma,” Backstreet sighed.  “Tell you what—you work on your era maps and I will work on my area maps—we’ll overlay them all digitally to get the best matching coordinates.”

            For all that they seemed they were annoyed with each other, Megatron wasn’t too worried about it.  Windsweeper was a Decepticon and Backstreet was an Autobot.   They didn’t really seem as adverse with each other as their words sounded……..it just felt like they were enjoying provoking each other.   Well, something like that could spark a passionate relationship in the end—so why not?  It really wouldn’t surprise Megatron if they wound up sharing a recharge slab eventually.

            Meanwhile, Megatron had the time to go back and ponder things while the two were devoted to their maps.  He’d gotten the script of the vid-play “Trinity Eternal” from Starscream fairly quickly—plus Starscream had also found a first draft of the sequel (which was never brought to a completed form), “Trinity Dissolved”.  It was an amazingly rough draft, but it had the gist of what Megatron was expecting from it.   The performance of the first play had glossed over it, but reading the original performance script had shown a tight relationship between the three Gods.   It seemed both Unicron and Primus had loved Corona—Corona was the light of their universe.  It was also interesting in that it was specifically noted in the script that Unicron and Primus referred to themselves with the masculine pronouns, however Corona referred to itself with very gender-neutral pronouns. 

            Which was an interesting note to come across, since Cybertron in general did not understand the use of gender pronouns until they had experienced other species in the universe!

            It seemed that personality-wise, Primus was loud and passionate while Unicron was quiet and calm.  Corona could never choose between them and loved them equally.  That was the statement at the beginning of “Trinity Dissolved”.   It mentioned Primus’ restlessness and a desire for something more—for a legacy.  As the script said, Corona shone its light down on Primus to guide him in igniting new life, however Unicron misunderstood this as favoritism and swore he would not allow it.  Unicron altered the form of his planet to match his avatar form……..then he began to crush and devour Corona’s planetary form.

            So, Primus—grieving immensely—altered the form of his world to match his own avatar and fight Unicron on a scale proper.   They fought for time unmeasured as Corona saw their own world form shatter—hanging like shards in the vastness of space.  Primus stored part of the gift of light that Corona had given him and merged it with his own gift of knowledge—using both powers to warp Unicron out to a vast emptiness at the edge of creation.

            Weakened by the fight, Primus used what he kept of Corona’s light to split himself into five Avatars and a Core.  He changed his form back into the planet, which came to be called “Cybertron”, while his Core became Vector Sigma.  The Guiding Hand……..what his five Avatars became known as…………walked upon Cybertron and aided to usher in new life through hotspots.   It was life……….formed by knowledge and forged by light.   And then, over time, Corona’s shattered body began to rain down on Cybertron and Vector Sigma (only referred to as “the Core” in the play itself) gathered the light to send it out with pulsewaves of knowledge to create more new life over time.  However, sometimes Vector Sigma could not catch the light from Corona’s shattered body before it hit the surface and the light formed a shape in the ground—so, instead, Vector Sigma sent the pulsewaves to the ground where the light had been absorbed.  These hotspots were different than the normal ones.  Special somehow.  And that was where the play ended—with the two types of life that could be born on Cybertron.

            Corona’s legacy of light would live on until the final meteor shower had fallen upon Cybertron.  Those last few fragments of Corona’s planetary body.   It seemed a bit strange that this was all called “light”—so it must be a special mineral in Corona’s body that “became light” or was the equivalent of light.  There were still a number of Cybertronians from the Alyon Region hotspot around today…….and Megatron supposed he could always try to look for them and see if they were suitable to wield Corona’s light……but he had Rodimus and that was the only one he needed.   He knew that Rodimus was the one—that it was Rodimus’ ultimate destiny to wield the light of Corona against Unicron.

            “I admit, I am curious to know how much of that is drawn from the truth of history…?”  Cyclonus murmured, after he’d finished reading both scripts.  Megatron had called him down to ask for his opinion on the matter, as he was religious and devoted—but not the kind to be infuriated by a difference in his chosen religion which could be seen as “blasphemy”, as Star Saber might have been.   “The plays do adapt a lot of the history I am familiar with, so I think there’s enough truth in these plays to possibly draw facts from them.  However, I can not recall ever hearing of a third God, nor Corona’s name itself.   I read an ancient text which alluded to more deities than Primus and Unicron, but that is about it,” the old warrior added softly, handing the tablet back to Megatron.  “I thank you for sharing these with me and broadening my views some more,” he said with a dip of his shoulders to Megatron.

            “If I am interpreting this right—if there’s even a single grain of truth in this fiction—I think we need both Corona’s light and Primus’ knowledge to exile Unicron back out to the edge of the universe,” Megatron answered, gazing up at Cyclonus.

            “How will you find Corona’s light?”  The old warrior asked, tilting his head curiously at the former Decepticon Leader.

            “I believe it will look somewhat like the Matrix—like a Spark inside of a spark-casing,” the grey-and-dark grey mech responded.

            “Do you really believe it’s on Cybertron?”  Cyclonus asked.

            “At worst, it could be on Luna I, but I believe it’s somewhere on Cybertron,” Megatron said, shaking his head lightly.   “I think we have a little bit of time yet, Rodimus thinks so too.   Rodimus thinks Unicron needs more Avatars before he’ll risk coming to Cybertron directly.”

            “Rodimus has seemed very focused since you came back from Cybertron,” Cyclonus remarked, a smile trying to lightly tug at the corners of his mouth.

            “Yes, that surprised me, as well,” Megatron chuckled.  “After a couple days of rest, he was actually looking for something to do.  But………..I’m very happy to see him so energized.”

            Rodimus was really revved up recently.  He was focused and on-task.   When Megatron asked if he’d go interview people at the colonies to find out about Corona—or even more about Unicron and Primus—Rodimus had eagerly jumped at the opportunity.   And……..in the past few days, he hadn’t even begged for sex with the avatars.  He only asked for cuddling before they both went to sleep together.

            Which was actually a lot more _normal_ for Rodimus, since the relationship between him and Megatron had started.  Rodimus enjoyed being loved and cherished far more than he enjoyed any physical activity or avatar action to lead to burn-out.   Now Megatron wondered if he should worry about that………..?

            He had asked Ratchet if Rodimus was okay—the day after the pressure-touch massage had left him unable to move.   The only answer Megatron got from the old medic was:  “ _Physically_?  Sure.  But otherwise…….?  _Hell if I know_!”  He’d said with a deep groan.

            Megatron wasn’t sure what that was supposed to mean.   Just as he pondered this, his interpersonal comm-link chirped.

            **[Hey, old man!   Why didn’t you tell me Devisen would be like this?!]**   Rodimus light voice complained in his audial.   **[I had to lock myself in my room on the ship………they just wouldn’t leave me alone!]**

            Megatron laughed.   However, Rodimus should’ve realized that—especially as Phaser and every other Devisen that had come to Safehome were addressing him as “Prime”!

            “How goes your research?”  Megatron murmured, softly, sending the words through the comm-link to his sparkmate.

            **[Not a whole lot on Corona, but a little bit anyways.  All the colonies seem to have texts that support the third God, even if they didn’t have a specific name in the texts.   Got a little new info on Primus and Unicron, too]** Rodimus voice answered.  **[How about you?]**

            “Windsweeper and Backstreet will have their maps done soon,” Megatron responded.  “Once we have all this information, I think we can ask Vector Sigma all the right questions.”

            **[Do you really think that Vector Sigma will confirm that we’re looking for Corona’s Spark?]** Rodimus’s soft voice asked, curiously.

            “Yes, I believe so.  We _didn’t_ have all the information before—we didn’t know exactly what we should have asked,” Megatron said, smiling.   Rodimus’ voice didn’t sound upset or depressed—he still seemed so positive and focused.

            Megatron could not believe how much of a turn-on that was for him.   Leader-like Rodimus was even more of a turn-on than vulnerable Rodimus.   Warmth suddenly flooded through Megatron’s circuits and he wished his younger partner were here with him right now.

            **[Why do I get the feeling you’re horny right now, old man?]**   Rodimus sighed, then gave a soft chuckle over the comm-link.

            “You just know me well, my guiding star,” Megatron chuckled, softly, with warmth reverberating in his vocalizer.   “Ah, looks like we may have hit the jackpot.  I’ll let you go now and see you when you get back.”

            “ _Got it_!   We got it!”  Windsweeper cried excitedly, hugging Backstreet.  The Autobot’s faceplate turned bright red as soon as the arms went around him.  “ _Eh_?”  The Decepticon murmured, glancing at the silent Backstreet in his arms.

            “Well, now…….. _that_ takes some skill—inducing minor burnout with just a hug,” The former Decepticon Leader chuckled, looking down at the two.  “Thank you both for your assistance on this project,” Megatron said with a polite dip of his shoulders.  “You may go find some privacy now, if you’d like.”

            The two raced out of the room incredibly fast……….but whether it was from a desire for privacy or because of utter embarrassment, who knew?  Cyclonus politely dismissed himself as well.  So that left only Megatron in the planning room.  He walked over to the main monitor and looked at all the map layers.  He tried several different angles of view before finally merging them all down into one single map layer.   Five spots completely and truly intersected on the layers of maps.   Two of them, he dismissed—old cities or areas so completely devastated, with one area being the Sea of Rust.  If Corona’s Spark had landed there, it surely would’ve been destroyed—nothing survives in the Sea of Rust for long.

            However, Vector Sigma was clear that the object could be found.  So that left Kaon, Tarn and Iacon.  If it had landed in Iacon, the Autobots would surely have found it long ago.  If it had been in Kaon, Megatron himself would have found it long ago.  Was it Fate or merely irony that by process of elimination…………it could be in the ruins of Tarn?

            The place Megatron had been born—or rather constructed cold.  The first city to fall in the war.

            Megatron made a wry smile, his fingers brushing the location of Tarn on the map.  _Fate_?   Well, why not, right?  After all………it seemed as if he and Rodimus were inexplicably tied together.  Maybe this was just one more piece of proof to Megatron that he and Rodimus were meant to be together forever?

 

*      *      *      *      *

 

            “We’re always pleased to see you on Cybertron,” Windblade greeted, dipping her shoulders lightly to greet Megatron and Rodimus.  “We are still looking for remnants of a basically functioning spacebridge for Safehome, so……” she trailed off.

            Rodimus just smiled a winning _Rodimus Smile TM_ at her and clasped her hands with a fond greeting.  “Don’t worry, we’re not here for _that_ ,” the red-and-yellow mech chuckled.

            Megatron simply smiled at the young co-leader of Cybertron.  “We have to ask Vector Sigma a very important question and then we need to update Starscream on our research,” the older Cybertronian responded.  “Has he filled you in on our research topic?”  Megatron asked, curiously.

            Windblade’s face darkened with worry.  “Part of it, yes.  I feel it is really too dangerous, though……” she trailed off.

            “It may well be, but it _needs_ to be done,” Megatron said.  “We need all the edge we can get against a God.  If Primus cannot awaken to fight Unicron, then it’s up to Primus’ children to defend him and push the God of Chaos back to the edge of the universe.”

            “Isn’t he _awesome_?”  Rodimus said in a serious voice, but grinning as he wrapped both his arms around one of Megatron’s arms.  “ _Totally **mine**.  **Not sharing**_ ,” the younger Cybertronian chuckled.

            Megatron’s faceplate darkened with a blush and he scratched a cheek with a nervous chuckle.  Energetic Rodimus made him happy, but also very wary……..he was concerned something happened to Rodimus—something Rodimus was not planning to share with him.   But _why_?   What was it that Rodimus couldn’t talk to him about?

            Although, knowing Rodimus, it probably involved something dangerous and foolhardy—and Megatron would try to stop him from doing it, if he knew what it was.  Though, Megatron should try to relax, because he knew that his younger partner had a very devoted bodyguard now.  And Star Saber could probably protect Rodimus far better than Megatron ever could—not only that, but Star Saber would _not_ let Rodimus out of his sight for an instant.  Well, except in a certain case or two where that was unnecessary, of course.   Megatron would just have to trust Rodimus without prying this one single time………..

            “As you’ve both been to the primal chamber several times recently, we’re going to trust you to go there on your own,” Windblade told them.  “Star Saber, you may accompany them—but you will likely need to wait outside of the primal chamber.”

            “I appreciate this, Lady Windblade,” Star Saber said, dipping his shoulders politely.  He had finally been given his Victory Armour back, so he felt more comfortable and less anxious now.  And……..as Rodimus had promised…….it _really was_ awesome.  Brainstorm had kept the original design aesthetics, with only a few modern modifications.  The joints felt so flexible and natural now—they moved more easily and it felt like he had greater mobility than before!   As if that wasn’t enough—the interface, itself!  The interface seemed so effortless now, Star Saber had to wonder if maybe he could control the Victory Armour with his original frame now—not having to rely on his general frame.   It was like a dream…………Star Saber was humbled and happy with his upgraded Victory Armour.

            When Megatron, Rodimus and Star Saber arrived at the wait area of the primal chamber…….they were surprised that Vector Sigma chose to allow Star Saber into the chamber as well.  Despite a chuckle and admonishment to not remain kneeling in prayer, Star Saber was too humbled in the presence of the Master Programmer to rise to his feet—instead choosing to stay knelt with his head down in silence.

            **{I welcome you back, lifebearer and guardian,}** Vector Sigma greeted inside their minds, its light warm and soothing to them all.  **{I also extend a welcome to you, young missionary…….I am pleased that you have begun to find your way back from the darkness that consumed you.}**

            “I regret my fall and I hope that one day I will be able to do true work for Primus again,” Star Saber said, humbly, head still bowed.

            **{I know you shall,}** Vector Sigma chuckled.  **{Now, guardian……have you decided upon the questions you want to ask?}**

            “Yes, I believe I have…….” Megatron trailed off.  “It starts with the grand misconception of myth—that Primus is a bearer of the light and that the Matrix of Leadership itself contains light.   This is untrue, Primus is the representative of knowledge, he has only held on to some of Corona’s light all these millennia.”  Then Megatron paused, bringing all of his thoughts together.  “This is why the Primes who have held the Matrix have only been able to contribute knowledge to it—not the light of their Sparks—they are contributing to Primus’ well of knowledge.   It only appears as light, because we do not know what else to see knowledge as.   But both knowledge and light are necessary to forge life—therefore, despite what all may think, Corona had to have existed and parts of it still exist today.  In the past, when Unicron began destroying Corona—Primus held on to the light Corona gave him not just to create his progeny, but also to warp Unicron to the edge of creation,” Megatron said, explaining everything that he and Rodimus had learned and pieced together.  “Therefore, I postulate that the meteor showers on Cybertron were of Corona’s shattered planetary form and you, Vector Sigma, harvested the light in these meteors to forge life.   When the meteor showers stopped, you were unable to harvest anymore of Corona’s light and the hotspots stopped igniting…………the ignition in the badlands, which are the Sparks Trypticon chose to foster, came from whatever remaining bit of Corona’s light you had—and was expelled when you _‘rebooted’_ Cybertron.”

            While Vector Sigma spoke nothing, Megatron got the sense that it was confirmation of his theories.

            “There was also one light of Corona’s that you could not harvest—Corona’s very Spark.   I narrowed down the information to find five spots where the Spark may have fallen.  I eliminated four of them for one reason or another.  Vector Sigma—is Corona’s Spark in the ruins of Tarn?”  Megatron asked.

            **{Yes, guardian……it is there,}** the Master Programmer answered.

            “Is Corona’s Spark the object that Rodimus is destined to carry and protect within the confines of his chest?”  Megatron asked, slowly working his way through his list of questions.

            **{Yes, it is,}** Vector Sigma answered.

            “The Matrix and Corona’s Spark must be opened at the same time in order to warp Unicron back out to the edge of the universe—is this correct?”  The former gladiator continued.

            **{That is correct, guardian,}** the ancient core answered.

            “Optimus Prime will open the Matrix and Rodimus will open Corona’s Spark, correct?”  As redundant as the question was, Megatron made sure to answer it anyways.

            **{Yes, those are the two chosen at this moment in time,}** Vector Sigma responded.

            “Will Rodimus live through this?”  Megatron said suddenly, hurriedly, before anyone could stop him from asking that particular question.  It was not from the list he and Rodimus made, but it was something he so desperately wanted to know.

            Beside Megatron, Rodimus felt warmth flood through him, and he reached for his beloved’s hand, twining fingers with him.

            **{You ask a difficult question, guardian,}** Vector Sigma sighed softly.  **{There are a few elements not in play, as of yet……the introduction of these elements may well change the lines of fate.   However, you introduced a new element that had not been forseen, which I believe will assure Rodimus Prime’s survival in the end.}**

            Star Saber’s head snapped up.  “Do you mean _me_ , my lord?”  The old religious warrior asked, his deep voice breathy and reverent.

            **{Yes, child…….I mean you,}** Vector Sigma chuckled.

            Rodimus looked at Megatron longingly as they turned to face each other.   Rodimus was so very happy at Vector Sigma addressing him as “ _Prime_ ” these last few times, even if it caused him anxiety to hear everyone else do so.  Megatron gently looked down into his lifepartner’s optics.

            “I know you’re planning to do something foolish, so be sure that you take Star Saber with you,” the former Decepticon Leader said, firmly.

            “Yeah, trust me………….he _won’t_ let me ditch him anyways,” Rodimus chuckled.  “Trust me, old man.   It all depends on if we can get Sideways to take our bait—that’s the only way my plan will work.  And we talked about this before……..it really does all depend on if we can bait Sideways.   I know that this is what I _have_ to do, I just need you to wait for my signal and then have Optimus open the Matrix.”

            “That means I have to spend time with him,” Megatron mumbled, frowning.  Then he pulled Rodimus to him for a tight hug.

            “Well, not immediately.  Not until Unicron reaches Cybertron,” Rodimus answered, returning the hug.  “Everyone will be in their proper places by then, if things go as I’ve planned……” he trailed off, pulling away from his sparkmate.  Then he turned and looked up at the glowing orb that was Vector Sigma.  “Vector Sigma…….we _will_ stop Unicron.  _I promise_.”

            **{I know you will, Rodimus Prime,}** the Master Programmer responded, serenely.

 

*      *      *      *      *

 

            Rodimus was so focused……it both charmed and frightened Megatron.  Watching him work…….watching him be so serious—about the plans to cultivate and grow the research base of Safehome, about the plans to bait Sideways and confront Unicron—watching Rodimus be “Rodimus Prime” worried Megatron to no end.  And it captivated him beyond measure.

            He thought he’d only been aroused by Rodimus’ vulnerability, but he longed and ached for all of Rodimus as he say his younger partner become so mature and wise.   There had already been moments today when he nearly just scooped his sparkmate up and carried him off to their room, just because he couldn’t sublimate his longing anymore.  And Rodimus kept the purity of the Cybertronian species—even when most of the ones today had adapted organic ways.   Megatron had, as well, back when he was a Decepticon—and how strange it was to say _that_ , even to himself!   That Megatron had done such things, given how he hated organics and how focused on Cybertron purity he’d been……..it shocked even him, now.

            _‘He’s so much more a **true Cybertronian** than I am,’_ Megatron thought to himself as he watched Rodimus talk with the construction crew in the plaza area.

            “I think, if this is the central plaza and we’ll have a traditional lighted fountain—the stage is already here—then we need to have a row of shops,” Rodimus said to Landfill and Quickmix.   He was using the thumbs and forefingers gesture, in the most traditional way to spot-measure spaces.  “Let’s make Tarn’s stupid base into a leisure district!”  Rodimus laughed.  Then he looked back at Megatron—radiating nothing but happiness in his aura and frame.  “What do _you_ think, old man?”

            “ _Only_ if we are allowed to have somewhere with books—a library or a bookstore,” Megatron responded, taking the few short steps over to the one he loved and placing a hand gently in the middle of his lower back.

            “Yup……..books are leisure, too,” Rodimus agreed, still beaming with joy.

            _‘Corona’s light.  It’s been eclipsed within him for so long, but now that it’s free—his light is the heart of the universe,’_ Megatron thought, gazing down at Rodimus, who was still motioning back-and-forth with his arms and fingers as the square-setting shape.   _‘The heart of **my** universe.’_

            “You seem a bit quiet and pensive,” Rodimus murmured, dropping his arms and turning to embrace Megatron.  “We have to _wait_ , now.   Wait and see if what we dragged out of the ruins of Tarn happens to be what we’re looking for.”

            Before they had left Cybertron, Rodimus and Megatron (with Star Saber in tow) had gone to the devastated location of the city of Tarn.  They used the case that Unicron’s dark object was in—letting it serve as their divining rod.   Unicron’s darkness would be drawn to Corona’s light.  And it was—they found a location, where Megatron’s mining skills came in most useful.  He had the chance to dig up what may be the most precious object in the universe—a piece that belonged to his beloved sparkmate.   What Megatron pulled to the surface with his impressive strength was a fossilized boulder that came up to Rodimus’ hips and was a rough round shape.

            Getting it aboard the ship, they headed back for Safehome and asked Brainstorm to find the object inside of it.  He’d been puzzled at first and asked what it was he was looking for in the boulder, but Rodimus had just answered that it might be something that resembled the Matrix of Leadership or the Enigma of Combination.   Of course, saying something like that threw Brainstorm into a tizzy and it was clear he wanted to dissect whatever he found.   Rodimus smacked him in the back of the head, threatened to exile him back to Cybertron before laughing gently.  However, he did give Brainstorm the “ _but, seriously_ ” part of the speech and the eccentric scientist apologized, realizing that whatever was inside the fossilized boulder was extremely important.

            Then, almost as if by saying they “ _had to wait_ ”…….Rodimus’ personal comm-link chirped.  It was Brainstorm.  And he was beyond giddy.   Rodimus gazed up at Megatron and then looked past his beloved at Star Saber, nodding lightly.  As they turned to walk towards Brainstorm’s lab at Safehome, Rodimus comm-linked Drift and Ultra Magnus, asking the two to join them there.

 

*      *      *      *      *

 

            “ _Oh GOD_ , Rodimus………!”  Brainstorm gushed.  “I have no idea what it is you brought me, but I _love_ it!”  The eccentric scientist giggled.  “It is _light_.  It is absolutely **_pure light_** …….and it reminds me…….. _of you_ …….” he added, almost shyly, poking his two forefingers together like a shy child.

            “Yeah, there’s a reason for that,” Rodimus responded, smiling at Brainstorm and clapping him on the shoulder.  “Drift, Magnus—and, of course, Star Saber—we have something important to share.”

            Rodimus turned to Megatron, as if to say “ _now, it’s your show_ ”.   So, Megatron began explaining the history and myth of Corona.  That to warp Unicron back out to the edge of the universe, for Unicron could not be destroyed, required more than simply Primus’ power of knowledge inside of the Matrix of Leadership.  It needed the light from Corona’s ancient Spark, which had fallen onto Cybertron a long time ago and been lost to the ages………..with Corona’s very legend being buried by the Senate and their scientists, and even the varied religious factions at the time.   Light and Knowledge together were how their race came into being—and the restructured religion negated Corona’s existence and claimed both Light and Knowledge came from only Primus.

            “Only a _descendant_ of Corona can wield the light of the Spark.   While others from the hotspot ignited in the Alyon Region could potentially be able to wield it, I doubt we could find all of them before Unicron arrives.   Besides….all we need is _Rodimus_ ,” Megatron said, softly.  “I don’t just say it because he’s the center of my universe—hell, if that were the case, I’d keep him far away from _this destiny_.   I say this because he was born _and_ built for it.”

            Rodimus fidgeted with slight anxiety as he looked at the object, which Brainstorm had placed into a special display case.  It had an odd, almost trapezoidal form.  The spark-casing had a back-base that was flat and a weird, “squarely-rounded” gold casing that was attached to that back-base.   It……….didn’t look like it opened the way the Matrix did………..but it _did_ look like it would fit perfectly inside his chest, in that strange space that had always been there.

            “All of you, except for Star Saber, have seen me with my chestplate open—so you’ve all seen my Spark and the strange space below it,” Rodimus said, softly.  “That’s why you’re all here right now.  I would’ve asked Ratchet to be here as well, but he’s busy making sure the hospital will be built to his standards,” Rodimus added with a soft chuckle.  “Megatron……..would you…….?”  Rodimus asked softly, looking up at his sparkmate.

            “Of course,” Megatron responded, gently dipping his head for a moment so that their helms touched.  This time he was being given permission to open his partner’s chestplate before others.   He opened Rodimus’ flame-designed chestplate and gazed fondly at the bright blue Spark shining in its spark-casing, before removing Corona’s Spark from the display case.

            Drift breathed in with awe and his aura flared with joy.  Ultra Magnus couldn’t help but smile, he had never thought that young Hot Rod would ever come this far.  Brainstorm just kinda giggled a little, but it was a good kind of giggle showing he was happy and excited at having helped in this.  Star Saber, coping with the existence of a new God being against his religious devotion, saw the perfection as the object fit right into Rodimus’ chest—he knelt and prayed that Primus would guide them on the rest of his journey.

            With warm and gentle hands, Megatron closed his lover’s chestplate and was rewarded with the strongest hug he’d gotten from Rodimus, _ever_!   He wrapped his arms around his younger sparkmate and sighed softly.

            “Star Saber,” Rodimus said, turning to his devoted bodyguard.  “I know this is really difficult for you, but will you stick with me until the end?”  He asked, softly.

            “It is difficult.  All I have ever known is Primus and the Guiding Hand,” the old religious warrior murmured.  “Learning that Primus’ light was not his—it is a _difficult_ concept to grasp.  If Wing Dagger were here, he’d help me through it a lot better than I am managing to do on my own.”

            “Don’t worry, _I’ll_ help you,” Rodimus responded, warmly taking Star Saber’s hands into his own.   He held on to them with the warmth of friendship.  “Don’t worry, Star Saber—this is _your_ chance.  It’s time to take back your life and truths you hold dear.”

            Star Saber’s mouth was covered with a traditional warrior’s facial shield in his Victory Armour, but Rodimus knew he was smiling down at him.   Megatron chuckled softly, knowing that Rodimus’ charm could win over practically anyone.   After all, it had won _him_ over……….someone as irredeemably lost as him had found the light.   His very own guiding light………

 

*       *      *      *      *

 

            “This……….. _this_ is the difficult part, old man,” Rodimus whispered as they were getting ready to go to sleep.  “I have to touch that Matrix of Chaos.  I know that the Corona Vitale will protect me from the darkness, but I’m still _very_ scared.”

            Megatron made a strange, strangled sound in his vocalizer.  “I wish that it were _not_ you…….” He finally murmured.  “But I do, also, feel great pride and joy to have been able to help you on the road to your destiny,” Megatron said, reaching for Rodimus’ hands and smiling down at him.

            “I know that you’ll know when the time is right to tell Optimus to open the Matrix,” Rodimus said, smiling up at the one he loved.

            Megatron brought Rodimus’ hands up to his chin and lightly kissed the yellow servos’ knuckle-joints.  “Thank you for everything, my beloved…….. _precious_ ……..Rodimus Prime,” the former gladiator whispered, desperate longing in his deep voice.  Megatron began to mouth the words “ _I wish_ …..”, with the desire that fate would not be so cruel to them in the end—in that unknown, but eventual future.

            Rodimus pulled one of his hands free to place a couple fingers against Megatron’s mouth.

            “No words at the moment,” Rodimus murmured, softly.  “No avatars, no sex……….not even pressure-touch tonight.”

            Megatron titled his head, puzzled.   They were _not_ cashing in on such a romantic opportunity as this?   Rodimus wanted nothing at all before he had to go out and face Unicron?

            “Save it for when I get back, but _tonight_ ………….” Rodimus trailed off, going to the center of the room and settling himself down on the floor, legs folded beneath him.  That was the classic Earth Japanese style known as “ _seiza_ ”.   Then Rodimus patted the space on the floor directly in front of him, indicating that Megatron should do as he had done.

            Megatron’s joints creaked only a little as he tried to get his posture to match his partner’s.  Their knees were lightly touching one another.   The former gladiator was extremely puzzled as Rodimus remotely dimmed the lights of their hab suite to their most dimmest-yet-active setting.

            “I want you to show me your Spark—I want to _share our lights_ ,” Rodimus said, quietly.

            There were very few things in this life that Megatron had ever been afraid of, however this was something that he hoped Rodimus would _never_ ask for.  Even for their ceremony, Megatron had filled the twined vial with his own innermost Energon beforehand.   He had never planned to ever show the one his loved his old and fading Spark.   Especially not after seeing Rodimus’ brilliant young Spark.

            “Rodimus, I am _old_ ……..you do understand that, correct?  **_I_** …….” Megatron murmured, balling the hands on his knees into fists.

            “You didn’t completely rip off your spark-casing, did you?!”  Rodimus gasped, horrified at the thought.

            “ _No_!”  Megatron responded, instantly, to soothe his younger sparkmate.  “No……..but, _yes_ , my badge was not the only one I made from my own spark-casing.  It is a bit more exposed than most Sparks are,” he added, trying to soothe the worry of his beloved, that the old Spark wasn’t naked within his chest.

            “Soundwave,” Rodimus said, softly, to which Megatron nodded.  “Shockwave and Starscream,” he added, which Megatron affirmed.  “Your own _‘Rossum’s Trinity’_ ,” he chuckled.  “Just like me, Drift and Magnus here.”

            “I……..yes, that’s _probably_ true,” Megatron responded, feeling he had to smile at that observation.  “All right,” the older Cybertronian relented, realizing that the reason the lights were so dim were to ease stress on the Spark when the chestplate was opened—because Megatron’s Spark was older and was more exposed.

            And so, the former Decepticon Leader opened his chestplate, but shuttered his optics……..because he didn’t want to see the pity in his beloved’s eyes.

            “Ah……..it’s _beautiful_ , Megatron,” Rodimus said, in a soft and breathy voice, reverberating almost erotically in his vocalizer.   “I can see where you took the sentio metallico of the casing away………and the grooves and ridges of its growth around your Spark.”

            “But it is no longer brilliant or bright,” Megatron sighed, his optics still shuttered.  How could Rodimus find such a faded, old thing beautiful?

            “It doesn’t matter if it is _vivid_ green or _pale_ green—it’s still _very beautiful_ ,” Rodimus said, fondly.  Then Megatron could hear a few soft clicks and taps……..and wondered what was going on.  “Open your eyes, old man…….don’t look away from the one who belongs to you, body and Spark,” Rodimus chuckled, reaching for his beloved’s hands, holding them with warmth and love.

            Megatron slowly brought his optics back online and saw the way the different colored glows flickered in the dim room.  The pale, old green and the brilliant, young blue.  He gazed curiously at the aqua-colored halo of light around the iris of the shuttered Corona Vitale—and then gazed longingly at Rodimus faintly-glowing red charge lines.   The beauty of all the play of these lights inspired a flood of poetry deep within him—and seemed to make Rodimus become _even more gorgeous_.   The older Cybertronian squeezed his younger sparkmate’s hands, desperately.

            “I _swear_ to you, Megatron of Tarn……… _nothing_ in this world or the next shall part us.  I swear it by the light of our Sparks,” Rodimus said, firmly, gazing up into the slightly glowing red optics of his partner’s.  “ _I swear it_.”

            “ _Rodimus_ …………” Megatron whispered, overwhelmed by his partner’s love and devotion.

            The younger Cybertronian gently reached over and closed Megatron’s chestplate before closing up his own.  Then he reached back for his beloved’s hands and held on to both of them again, just gazing up at Megatron with wonder………and love……….and absolute devotion.   It was several quiet moments before either of them spoke any words to each other.

            “When I had my sessions with Wolfwire this past week—he helped me have the courage to face up to many things I’ve been avoiding dealing with,” Rodimus began, squeezing Megatron’s hands tight.  “I…….I am pretty sure I was _horrible_ to you, as our relationship began.   I threatened killing myself so often in front of you—and I am so sorry that I put you through such awful stress.”

            “You do not need to apologize for that.  I am well-aware that your relationship with Blaze hurt you and how you handle relationships,” Megatron responded, gently squeezing his beloved’s hands in return.

            “I’ve also talked this out with Drift, since I treated him rather poorly as well,” Rodimus chuckled.  “And then we also talked about……….well…….. _you_ seem to feel a bit guilty at our relationship, that we’re victims of Lock-Set Syndrome.  But………..I _didn’t_ fall in love with you by being locked in your room and becoming dependent on you.   I loved you _long_ before then.”

            “I…….. _what_?”  Megatron gasped.

            “That little thing that Chromedome used to help me live through First Aid’s surgery, the fictional thing……he set the path, but I wrote the _‘words’_.   I fell in love with you in that story.  But that _wasn’t_ when I truly fell in love with you—it was actually _before_ then,” Rodimus said, grinning up at his lover.   “I saw it in you……the potential to be………….my partner…………a long time ago, really.   Do you remember how I would provoke you and argue with you when you came aboard?   More than anything, I wanted you to _look at me_ ,” Rodimus said, giving a warm laugh and squeezing Megatron’s hands again.

            Then Rodimus recited a poem.   Megatron couldn’t help but stare at him incredulously.

            “Where did you hear that…….?”  Megatron asked, desperation in his vocalizer—because there was _no way_ Rodimus could have known that poem.   He wrote that before Rodimus’ Spark even ignited in the Alyon Region!

            “I forgot……….for a long time……….how much that poem meant to me.   Blaze was the one who told it to me,” Rodimus chuckled.  “He told me that some _‘old miner’_ from Tarn wrote it.  And while I don’t understand all your veils and allusions in it, the surface words were enough for me.   You made the Energon mines sound so beautiful………..and so tragic.   It took me awhile to connect that the gladiator named _‘Megatron’_ was the very same miner who wrote that poem.”

            “Sparklight in Crystal” had been the general title of that poem.  It was basically a ballad that described how workers in the mines worked until their Sparks gave out—seeming to reflect and echo endlessly in the caverns.   With its deeper message, it was an ode to how the lives of the ones you love will endure, even long after their deaths—their lives echoing in the eternity deep inside your Spark.

            “When I knew that the gladiator and miner were the _same person_ …….the war had begun.  Nyon fell and I lost Blaze.  Your poem…………. _everything about it_ ………….and I cradled all that was Blaze to me.   I often wondered, during the war…………how could _that Megatron_ , who took all those lives, have written the most beautiful and sparkfelt poem in existence?   A poem about _treasuring lives_ ,” Rodimus said softly, swinging his and Megatron’s arms lightly.   “But we all have our wounds that changed us.  The miner from Tarn who wrote that glorious poem………..he _suffered_ so terribly.  He ignited a war that went beyond his control.   And then, one day, when he lamented the path his life took……….he was placed aboard _my_ ship.   As upset as I was at Optimus stealing my ship out from under me and all the circumstances around that…………I wondered if I could help heal that poor mech.   As his words had once touched me………….because if Blaze never told me that poem, I think I would have taken my own life when he _‘died’_.”

            Rodimus looked back up into his sparkmate’s dimly glowing red optics.

            “You _saved_ me……….and I………….I hope that I have been able to save you,” Rodimus whispered, squeezing Megatron’s hands tightly.

            **_Full circle_**.

            Somehow………..a long, long time ago………..a thread connected the two of them together.  Thin—unnoticed—until they shared a “home” together on the _Lost Light_.

            “You have,” Megatron said, his deep voice sounding very small and very shy—so unlike him at all.  “You _saved_ me, Rodimus of Nyon.  Thank you for saving me……….” he whispered, his vocalizer barely able to get out the words.

            Then Megatron stood up and pulled Rodimus to his feet as well.   Then they embraced each other with a hug that lasted a very long time—which neither of them felt like parting from anytime soon.

 

*      *      *      *      *

 

            Rodimus made sure he was online before Megatron the next day—what he was going to do was going to be hard enough without being tempted to stay within the warmth of his sparkmate’s arms.  As he slowly extricated himself from Megatron, his partner didn’t even stir and his recharge hum was steady.  It was _unusual_ for the two, Megatron often slept in short cycles and Rodimus preferred sleeping in.

            _‘Showing me his Spark must have really tired him out,’_ Rodimus thought, gazing down at the one he loved.   Megatron felt safe and comfortable enough to sleep through anything right now— _that_ warmed Rodimus’ Spark.   He leaned down and lightly placed a kiss to Megatron’s forehead.

            So Rodimus walked across the room to the Energon dispenser unit and took out two cans.   He practically swallowed the one he took for himself in one gulp and lightly hummed to himself as he grabbed a paint pen and doodled a big red heart on the side of the other can, carefully setting it in plain sight of the table they’d sit at to enjoy snacks and drinks together.   With one last look at his beloved Megatron, the red-and-yellow mech picked up the shielded case with Unicron’s dark object in it and walked out of their hab suite.   The younger Cybertronian was a little puzzled at seeing Ultra Magnus in the hallway………….the tall blue-white-and-red mech _looked_ like he was examining things, but Rodimus knew better.

            “Hey, hey Magnus!”  Rodimus chuckled, reaching up to pat his friend on the back with his free hand.  “I’ve got _tons_ of work to get to today, but I think the old man will be sleeping in a little longer.”

            “Is Megatron all right?” Ultra Magnus asked, with a bit of concern in his voice.

            “He’s _fine._   We talked about things.  The _hard things_ ……..like Wolfwire told me to,” Rodimus explained.  “And we showed each other our Sparks……. _literally_.”

            “ _Ah_.”  Magnus realized they had a moment of bonding light last night, well, that could explain Megatron’s exhaustion.   “I see.  So, all right………..we’ll let him rest, then.   By the way, what have you got there?”  He asked, pointing at the case in Rodimus’ right hand.

            “General crap.  Or _maaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaybe_ I’m making a super-secret time-travel machine to go back in time and marry Megatron before he becomes a tyrannical despot, forever altering the course of history and the future!”  Rodimus laughed, swinging the case playfully.

            Ultra Magnus facepalmed himself.  “I am seriously sorry I even asked…….” the former Enforcer of the Tyrest Accord groaned.

            “If you’re nice to me, I’ll take you back in time with me and you can even officiate the ceremony!”   Rodimus added with a huge grin up at his old friend.  Then he spun around and started down the hallway, swinging the case merrily.  “Star Saber……… _where are youuuuuuuuu_?”  He said in a sing-song manner as he continued down the hallway.

            “Right behind you, _of course_ ,” Star Saber said with a soft huff of annoyance.

            “Good morning,” Rodimus said, cheerfully, glancing over his shoulder at the taller mech.

            “Good morning.  Are you ready for a hard day’s work?”  Star Saber responded with a light chuckle.

            “If we _must_!”  The younger Cybertronian laughed.  They walked to the shuttle bay together and strode through the various crafts stored in the _Lost Light’s_ shuttle bay area.

            In the end, Rodimus chose a little 2-seater cutter.  It was _not_ meant for long space distances, but all they needed was just to get out past orbit a little ways.   More than anything, they couldn’t afford to be interrupted by anything or anyone from Safehome right now.   They stopped the cutter a little ways out of the orbit of Safehome and went to focus on the next part of the plan.

            “You’re sure you can _‘play dead’_?”  Rodimus asked, a bit worried—this would be the _trickiest_ part of the plan.

            “My Victory Armour can shield all my vital signs—as you should have noticed the many times I’ve apparently _‘snuck up’_ on you recently,” Star Saber chuckled, firm reassurance deep in his rich, layered voice.  “But you _can’t_ let Sideways maneuver you too far from my body—I need to be able to grab onto you before Unicron teleports you away.”

            “Trust me, I am _not_ moving an inch away from you,” Rodimus said with a hard nod.   “I know I have to do this……….and I know we are going to win………..but I’m still scared as hell,” the younger mech mumbled, trembling a little bit at the thought of the plan’s details.

            Star Saber knelt and held his V-Saber out to Rodimus.  “We _shall_ succeed, my Prime……now, it is up to you to make it look good,” the old warrior chuckled softly.  Then he laid on the floor, face down.   “Drive it in, just where I showed you……..” he murmured.

            Rodimus incycled a deep breath and plunged the V-Saber down into the back of the Victory Armour with the angle he’d practiced at.  There were some sparks, but not much blood.

            “Star Saber………are you okay?  Did I do it right?”  Rodimus asked, desperately, kneeling beside the old religious warrior.

            “Yes, you did _fine_ ………..now here’s the blood,” Star Saber answered, handing Rodimus a canister.  “Remember, just as we planned?   We spoke about stab wounds and blood splatter……..you need to plaint a good picture to convince Sideways you’ve killed your bodyguard and want to return to Unicron.”

            “I know.   I will…………” the younger mech murmured.  He focused on the lessons from before, splashing and splattering the blood from the canister in convincing patterns on both the body and the floor—and more importantly, on his own body as well.   “Okay.  I’m done.   Are you ready?”  Rodimus asked, incinerating the canister in the waste dump pocket and cleaning off his hands, at least cleaning off the excess from his hands, not what was necessary for the picture they were trying to paint.

            “I’m ready,” the old religious warrior responded, calmly.

            It was startling to Rodimus when Star Saber’s functioning system hum seemed to vanish from the room.  Yeah, no wonder Star Saber could just……….. _NOT_ seem to be there, that was weird!   The younger Cybertronian merely shook his head and then opened the special carrying case.   He looked at the dark rot on the makeshift case—Megatron’s previous left forearm.  It was a good thing Vector Sigma had that secondary case for it—the chaos energy was eating away at Megatron’s arm.  Rodimus incycled a deep breath, then he hovered his hands above the Matrix of Chaos.

            “ _Revenge_ ,” Rodimus said, also thinking it very loudly.   He dredged up his old anger towards Getaway……his embarrassment at Megatron opening his chestplate in front of Starscream………..his gnawing grief at the decision he made in Nyon.   “I want revenge upon them **_all_**.”

            **{Do you truly desire it?}**   Unicron’s dark, seductive voice purred into Rodimus’ mind.

            “Send Sideways to negotiate my return to you……..I refuse to have my will slammed into a vault,” Rodimus snapped.  “What satisfaction will I have in revenge when I am not a conscious part of it?!”  He yelled, putting all of his emotions into his voice.

            Rodimus felt a deep sense of satisfaction and pleasure from Unicron.  The ancient God seemed happy that Rodimus wished to take his own revenge.   It seemed odd that Unicron did not question why Rodimus asked for Sideways, specifically, however.

            In a few moments, a person Rodimus had never seen before teleported into the craft before him.  He looked somewhat Cybertronian in design—a black-and-purple colors scheme with some gold striping.  Horns on the sides of his helm resembled handle-grips, so he might have an alt mode that was possibly a motorcycle of some sort.   His optics, at least the tempered glass coverings, were the strange thing…….they were neither red, nor blue—they were a _dark green_ with a black glow illuminating them.

            Sideways glanced around with a huff and folded his arms across his chest in a somewhat annoyed posture.   “Nggh, why did you ask for _me_?   We have not met,” Sideways snapped.

            “Galvatron is dead and not chatty—I need someone with some sort of brain to listen to me,” Rodimus said, dredging up one of his classic pouts.   It was oddly easy to slip back into his old persona—the ego, the brattiness……it all felt like it was there again.  A mask he could wear when he _needed_ it.

            “Well, speak your mind, then…………I am busy corrupting planets for our Master,” Sideways grumbled, glancing around with a sense of boredom.

            Rodimus noted that Sideways had a _personality_.  He was not being directed or controlled outright by Unicron.

            “I have _this_ ………the Matrix of Chaos………to return to Unicron.  As a show of my good faith in our bargain.   I stole it from Megatron, who had borrowed it from Vector Sigma to research,” Rodimus began, motioning at the dark object in front of him, lying in the open case.   “The one ol’ Megs assigned to be my bodyguard—I took care of him,” he continued, jerking his thumb back at Star Saber’s still frame.

            Sideways glanced at Star Saber, using his sensors to try and detect any lifesigns.  He apprised the blood and noticed no internal movements of the old religious warrior’s systems.  Satisfied that he discovered no lifesigns in the still body, Sideways turned his attention back to Rodimus.  The Avatar of Darkness uncrossed his arms, putting his right one on his hip and pointed to the Matrix of Chaos with his left.

            “ _That_ needs to go back into your chest, you know,” the dark one chuckled.

            “We’re not done negotiating!”  Rodimus snapped back.  He looked away from Sideways with one of his best pouting looks on his faceplate.  “I want to have my own mind…… _like you_!   I don’t want to be a brainless mess like Galvatron…………..” the younger Cybertronian mumbled.

            “ _Look_.  You’re the only one that can have that thing inside of you,” Sideways sighed, placing both hands on his hips.  “Our Master needs _you_ to wield it against the one with Primus’ Matrix—to stop him.  Prime versus Prime.”  Then Sideways crossed his arms again, making a soft huff of annoyance.   He tilted his head, listening to something……..likely Unicron’s voice inside his head.  “So…..what did your sparkmate do to you, to make you want revenge on _him_?”  The Avatar of Darkness asked.

            “He’s been setting me aside all the time………claiming that he’s _‘busy’_ , that there’s _‘so much to get done’_.  He opened my chestplate in front of a stranger…………..and he never asked if it was okay!”  Rodimus yelled.  Even though he’d forgiven Megatron for _that_ , he dredged up the feelings he had at those moments and let them appear as fresh wounds.   “And…………he stopped having sex with me, I think he’s with someone else……..” Rodimus trailed off, sadly.  _He_ was the one that stopped their avatar use recently, but………..this was just something to try and convince Sideways to take him to Unicron.

            “ _Sex_?  I don’t understand that concept, but you are _clearly upset_ about it,” Sideways responded softly.   He knelt to look at Rodimus, with the Matrix of Chaos between them.  “I can take you to our Master, but he’ll tell you the exact same thing that I have— _this_ needs to go back in your chest.”  And, as he said that, he pointed at the dark object again.

            “I’m scared that it will take my will away again,” Rodimus grumbled.  “There’s no satisfaction in vengeance if you are unaware that you’re taking it.  That makes sense, doesn’t it?   That’s all I’m asking……..” Rodimus whined, staring at the rotting arm of Megatron’s where the Matrix of Chaos was being stored.

            “Well, at this point………..all I can do is take you to our Master,” Sideways sighed, standing back up.

            “You can teleport?”  Rodimus asked, also standing up.  He slammed the specialized metal carrying case back up and picked it up fast.

            “When my range is within our Master’s range, yes,” Sideways answered, firmly.

            The moment that Sideways clamped his hand onto Rodimus’ shoulder, Star Saber grabbed Rodimus’ feet.  The teleport was _fast_ , but Star Saber was _even faster_.  The skilled warrior thrust Rodimus over him haphazardly as he rolled to his feet, whipping the V-Saber out of his back and thrust it straight through Sideways’ chest.

            “ _Primus_!   Star Saber………..that was _amazing_!”  Rodimus gushed with awe.   As soon as he felt Star Saber throw him, he used the momentum to backflip and land on his feet.  He threw the case with the Matrix of Chaos away from him and could care less where it landed, since he no longer needed it.

            “I appreciate that praise, but………” the old religious warrior said, still very tense and holding the V-Saber firm in Sideways’ chest.  “ _What_ are you?”  He hissed, staring at the Avatar of Darkness.

            Sideways seemed not to really care much about the blade inside him.  He simply looked down at it and even tapped the sharp edge with amusement.  He wasn’t bleeding………and though he had a warrior’s facial shield, Star Saber got the sense he was leering.

            “That _was_ impressive.  And you play dead so well,” Sideways chuckled.  The Avatar of Darkness’ chest gave a strange wavy-swirl and he just stepped to the side, the sword going right through “ _nothing_ ”.  “It is not for me to deal with either of you and we’ll be near Cybertron soon.  The Avatar of Obliteration has already been sent ahead.   The Avatar of Deception will deal with you both.  Master, I will return to preparing you a delightful aperitif before you feast on Primus!”  Sideways called, teleporting away.

 

*      *      *      *      *

 

            Back at Safehome, Megatron was awoken by an urgent call from the communications room.  He still felt a little exhausted as he woke up and shook his head.

            “What’s wrong, Squawkbox?”  The former Decepticon Leader asked of the new Chief of Communications.

            “It’s Cybertron, sir……..they said Galvatron was attacking again, but he seems oddly more powerful than before,” the small robot reported.  They were actually a combination of two small beast-form robots, Squawktalk and Beastbox………but they had both suffered some torture by other Decepticons long ago and had only been able to cope through it by remaining in their merged form.

            Megatron hated how out on the “frontier”, the Decepticon military units were abusive to their own staff.   He also hated still hearing about these abuses all these millions of years later.

            “Report this order to Ultra Magnus to prepare a crew of thirty volunteers.  He and I will go to Cybertron on the _Crimson Light_ ,” Megatron responded.

            “Affirmative, sir,” Squawkbox replied.

            Megatron started walking towards the door when he caught the cans of Energon on the table.  The opened can was lying on its side, but the unopened one was just there as if to say “ _drink me_ ”.  Rodimus must have been concerned about him fueling and left it out for him.  The old gladiator had to chuckle to himself as he saw the blatant red heart painted on the side of the can.   As he glanced around the room, he noted that the case with the Matrix of Chaos was gone………so Rodimus must have left to go and try to bait Sideways and get to Unicron—to do the task he was _destined_ for.  Megatron opened the can of Energon left for him and calmed himself to focus on what he must do now.

_“I **swear** to you, Megatron of Tarn………nothing in this world or the next shall part us.  I swear it by the light of our Sparks,” Rodimus said, firmly, gazing up into the slightly glowing red optics of his partner’s._

 

            Remembering _everything_ that happened last night made his body heat up.

 

_“As his words had once touched me………….because if Blaze never told me that poem, I think I would have taken my own life when he **‘died’**.”_

 

            The light of their Sparks flickering in the room.  Megatron felt _so warm_ inside.

 

_“You **saved** me……….”_

 

            A poem Megatron wrote to bolster himself in the mines, it touched the Spark of a young Cybertronian he _never knew_ —long before they would ever meet.  So much longer before they even fell in love.   If things had been _different_ ……..if Megatron never wrote “Sparklight in Crystal”………if Blaze had never told that poem to Hot Rod………..if Hot Rod didn’t have that poem to give him strength when he needed it the most………….

            Rodimus—nay, _Rodimus Prime_ —would not exist.

            The _Lost Light_ and its adventure would never have happened.

            Megatron himself………..he would likely have either conquered everything as a hate-filled dictator or he would’ve been long since executed for that.

            A simple, rough poem _tied them together_.

            Megatron swallowed the rest of the Energon and treasured the warmth he felt inside of him.

            “My guiding light…………my beloved Rodimus Prime, when you return—I shall write a poem _just for you_ ,” Megatron swore, making that promise to the empty room.  Then he turned to walk out and headed for the shuttle bay.  He found that Ultra Magnus had already gathered his volunteers and was laying out some basic assignments for the mission.  So he went aboard the _Crimson Light_ and began preparing it for departure.

            A few minutes later, presumably after he’d herded everyone aboard, Ultra Magnus came into the pilot’s deck and sat down at the co-pilot’s station next to Megatron.

            “Are you all right?  Rodimus said you were tired,” the red-blue-and-white mech asked, softly, concern in his deep voice.  “I tried to see if he wanted to volunteer, but his comm-link is offline……..so, I suppose he just doesn’t want to be disturbed while working.”

            Megatron threw his head back with roaring laughter.  It made Ultra Magnus give him a very strange look.

            “Is _that_ what he told you?  That he was going to _work hard_ today?”  Megatron asked as he backed the _Crimson Light_ out of the shuttle bay.   “He’s gone to face his destiny………he’s gone to Unicron,” the old gladiator whispered.

            “ _What_?!”  Ultra Magnus snarled as the ship shot into orbit.

            “Do not worry, it is fine.  He _promised_ to return.  That’s why we need to go to Cybertron,” Megatron chuckled.  “And he _will_ return, I know it in my Spark.”  Megatron glanced out the side viewport next to him and saw the small cutter floating there.   He sent a brief message to Roller to have somebody come out to orbit and collect the cutter.

            “You………..seem awfully sure of this,” Ultra Magnus murmured, a dubious tone in his voice.

            “I _believe_ in Rodimus……….I believe we are _forever connected_ ,” Megatron responded with a warm chuckle.  “I believe he will return to me—or else we’ll be together in the afterspark when Unicron devours the universe.”

            Ultra Magnus glared at him.

            “I am joking on that last part,” the old gladiator chuckled.  “Rodimus has Corona’s light—the Corona Vitale will protect them both.”

            “ _Them_?!   Who the hell went with him?!  It was _Drift_ , wasn’t it?   _Those two_ ……….!”  The former law officer yelled.  Megatron could tell that the usually-calm Ultra Magnus was panicking.

            “Drift volunteered to go fight on Cybertron, thank you,” Drift said, grabbing the back of Ultra Magnus’ chair.  “So, Rodimus really went?  I had a feeling he was going to.  Is Star Saber with him?”  He asked, glancing at Megatron.

            “Yes.  I truly thought he would tell you, but then he acted like he was ripping out his T-Cog when I _finally_ got him to tell me the details of his plan,” the former warlord answered.

            Ultra Magnus was still radiating an aura of distress, so Drift turned his chair around while Megatron focused on piloting the ship.  The swordsmech cupped Ultra Magnus’ face on both sides and brought his own forehead down to touch the former law officer’s, to soothe him.

            “ _Rossum’s Trinity_ —the three of us at the start of the journey,” Drift whispered, soothingly, using his aura to try and calm the red-blue-and white mech down.  “I know you love Rodimus in your own way—perhaps not in a _passionate_ way as Megatron and I do, but you love him _deeply_.  It’s fine, don’t fight it.  He loves you, too—he went chasing **_your_** _‘dead body’_ after all.  He _couldn’t_ choose to chase me, so he _had_ to chase you—Rodimus couldn’t bear to be without us both.”

            “Ultra Magnus……….why did _you_ , of all people, go on Rodimus’ quest?”  Megatron asked, initiating the quantum jump to Cybertron.

            Ultra Magnus thought back to that day in Perceptor’s makeshift lab—when the scientist had shown a gathered few the map in the photonic crystal of the empty Matrix of Leadership.   Bickering commenced when Hot Rod—nay, the newly named “ _Rodimus_ ” had insisted it was a map to Cyberutopia and the Knights of Cybertron left it for them.

            That fire— _that passion_ —it wasn’t a reckless desire.  It wasn’t an excuse to get out of work.   That……the tone in his voice was a longing to find something long since missing from Cybertronian life.  Ultra Magnus, himself, had been away from Cybertron for so long, he forgot what it was like to be Cybertronian.  Hot Rod—no, it was now _RODIMUS_ —had chosen to leave Cybertron, the planet he so desperately loved and tried so desperately to save………..to try to find others who might be able to help save the world he loved so much.

            Rodimus _didn’t_ want Cybertron to die………as he’d watched Nyon die.

            “I suppose there was a part of me that felt the way Optimus did—as a soldier well-known in the war, what more purpose did I serve?  There was serving the law—the Tyrest Accord—but I felt it was better for Cybertron to get back on its feet before I could police it properly.   So, that only meant that I _should leave_ ,” Ultra Magnus answered, trying to find all the exact words.  “And a part of me felt as if Hot Rod—the newly-named _‘Rodimus’_ —needed a babysitter.  He and Drift together could probably destroy the universe as we know it……..” the white-blue-and red mech added.

            Drift stood up straight and laughed heartily at the oddly-phrased joke.  It was, without a doubt, a rarity—one of those Ultra Magnus jokes, where he tried too hard to make one and it usually rather flopped.

            “I also think that the real reason I went with Rodimus was that…………..Rodimus was _not_ afraid of me.  He was always relaxed and acted so openly around me,” Ultra Magnus murmured.  “As frustrating as he and that attitude could be sometimes………….he _wasn’t_ scared as hell of me, as everybody else was of _‘Ultra Magnus’_.”  The former law officer incycled a deep breath and exvented softly.  “It was actually rather refreshing to see someone not afraid to stand up to me.”

            “It’s time you believe in him, Magnus,” Drift said, warmly.  “As _we_ do.”  Then Drift plopped onto one of the wall benches behind the pilot’s seats.  “But _by Primus_!  _The Corona Vitale_!  It looked so absolutely _perfect_ in his chest!   I always wondered why he had that space, I thought he hollowed himself or something……..” he trailed off with a warm chuckle.

            Eventually the _Crimson Light_ reached Cybertron and Ultra Magnus dismissed himself to go on ahead with everyone else.

            “Drift……..I’d like to speak with you for a moment,” Megatron said as the warrior had also moved to leave.

            So, Drift sat back down on the bench and looked at Megatron, puzzled, as the older mech sat on the bench opposite of him.

            “I feel that I should ask about _your feelings_ for Rodimus right now, especially as I know you’re already _‘dating’_ someone,” Megatron said, very seriously.  “He’s still very eager around you, because he still loves you and he feels bad for letting you go.   So, if you’re as serious as I think you are about your new relationship, then you need to tell him it’s okay to let go—because you’ve moved on.”  Then the old gladiator incycled a calming breath.  “And he has _me_ , right?”

            Drift, completely not expecting this path of conversation, fell back against the wall behind him and laughed.   “I suppose _that’s_ true.  And I don’t think I have to worry about _you_ screwing up anymore,” he answered, softly.   “But I _do_ still love him, too, _very much_ —and I am pouring that into our _Amica_ bond.  **_I_** can love without boundaries, which is something Rodimus can do as well………..but I promise we’ll _try_ to stop flirting in public, alright?”  He said, reaching over to grab Megatron’s hands and squeezing them lightly.  “But……..the flirting makes it hotter, doesn’t it?  Seriously, if you’ve never seen Ratchet pounce on someone with passion—mine and Rodimus’ flirting makes it worth it.   Doesn’t it fire you up as well?”

            “ _Pfft_.  Rodimus is hot enough without _that_ ,” Megatron chuckled.  “I am not saying you have to make your relationship with Ratchet public or anything, but I feel you should at least _tell Rodimus_.   Though Primus above, why doesn’t already realize that is beyond me!”  The former Decepticon Leader laughed.

            “Is _that_ why the hell you young brats are always hanging all over each other in public?”  Ratchet groaned, leaning against the doorframe and looking into the bridge room.  “I should’ve known, today’s youth have no shame……….” he trailed off, then the old medic looked over at Megatron.  “Secret’s out, I suppose.  Ultra Magnus was worried about you, Megatron—I guess Rodimus told him you two bared your Sparks to one another last night?”

            Drift’s head, which had slowly turned to gaze up at his new lover, suddenly whipped back over to face Megatron—a little bit horrified.  “ _Literally_?  You two _literally_ let your Sparks shine against each other?!”  The swordsmech gasped.

            “Firstly—the two of you have been ridiculously obvious about hiding your relationship ever since you arrived here to save us,” Megatron responded with a very deep sigh.  “Secondly—I was a little tired, but I’m _not_ anymore.”  Megatron stood up.  “In fact, my part to play here today is very small………..I just can’t let Optimus open the Matrix too early.  You know how impulsive he can be.”

            “Then _I’ll_ stick with you, Megatron,” Ratchet said, straightening up.  “Optimus may not listen to you, so I’ll have to make sure _that he does_.”

            Drift dismissed himself to go join in the fight.  Ratchet watched his younger partner leave with the ghost of a smile crossing his faceplate.  Then the old medic turned back to Megatron.  “I understand how you feel—how the attention of a younger mech can make you feel younger,” he chuckled, softly.

            “Rodimus told me something interesting last night,” Megatron said, shifting on his feet as he stood up.  “We’ve been connected forever, yet have only recently discovered one another.  A clumsy, rough poem I wrote in the mines when I was so young………it kept Hot Rod from killing himself when Blaze appeared to be dead.”

            Ratchet gave an appreciative little whistle.

            “Ratchet, I am _not_ letting anyone execute me, now.  I think you understand this, since you have found someone who means a lot to you—if the time comes for my trial to resume and it winds up with that original result, I’m grabbing Rodimus and running for it,” Megatron said, quietly.   “I _refuse_ to be parted from my shining star—I won’t even let _death_ force us apart, unless that is a natural death of old age.”   Megatron stared at Ratchet, his gaze unwavering.   “I _will_ fight all of Cybertron if I must.”

            Ratchet had a flash back to the fight on Cybertron when Optimus asked Megatron to hold back the creature of Chaos—Megatron fought all on his own against a beast that none could make a scratch on.  Yes, if it came down to it—Megatron probably _could_ fight all of Cybertron to win what he desired most.

            “That’s the spirit,” Ratchet chuckled, lightly.  He clapped Megatron on the shoulder as they turned to walk out of the ship.  “And when Rodimus gets back—the three of us must have a medical discussion about shining Sparks against each other.  A very, _very_ serious discussion.”

 

*      *      *      *      *

 

            “What do you think, Star Saber?”  Rodimus asked, quietly.

            The two had been running scans of the room, where Sideways had teleported them in at, for the last thirty minutes.  They had been trying to figure out just where they were in relation to the core of Unicron.

            “Ultrasound has it mostly solid in the northwest direction,” the old religious warrior responded with a sigh.   He’d checked his scans three times already.

            “Yeah, my ultrasound scans are getting similar readings to the southwest,” Rodimus sighed, as well.  “So, _east_ is clearly our direction, but northeast or southeast?”

            Star Saber walked over to stand next to Rodimus for a moment before he turned to grasp the younger Cybertronian’s hands.  “My Prime—let us pray for a sign,” he said, somberly.

            “Alright,” Rodimus responded, bowing his head and shuttering his optics.  He wasn’t devout or religious, so he just followed Star Saber’s lead and let the old warrior pray for them both.

            Star Saber whispered his prayer softly, in ancient Cybertronian, so Rodimus didn’t even understand most of the words at all.  However, the younger mech felt something strange stir inside of him.  Not a voice, but _a feeling_.  The feeling was telling him to go to the northeast.

            “Northeast,” Rodimus said, squeezing Star Saber’s hands, to get his attention.

            “Then…………shall we be off, my Prime?”  The devout soldier chuckled, motioning as if to say, “after you”.

            The two walked down a very long corridor that seemed to have some sort of slight incline to it.  But, eventually, they came to another wide open space that could be labelled a room as some sort.  There were actually some lights in this room—and they showed the room to be absolutely massive!  At the end farthest from them was a huge golden orb with pulsing lights all over it.  It looked………..almost like a brain module.

            “My Master has been expecting you,” a strange voice said from a darkened corner—higher above the two Cybertronians.

            Rodimus saw the look of puzzlement on Star Saber’s faceplate, so he put a gentle hand on his bodyguard’s arm.

            “That voice………… _it can’t be_ ………..” Star Saber murmured, shaking his head.

            “It’s probably the Avatar of Deception that Sideways mentioned—there hadn’t been one chosen yet, when I was here before,” Rodimus said, softly, looking up and around to try and find the location the voice had come from.

            Suddenly a figure dropped down before the two of them, blocking their view of the golden orb in the distance.  This person _was_ ………….Cybertronian…………..once.  Rust and rot marred the armour, baring glimpses of a wasted protoform skeleton.  The colors of the armour were primarily red and white, with a few blue highlights…….at least what colors were left on the dulled frame.

            “Of course, because _zombies_ are the in-thing anymore,” Rodimus groaned, facepalming himself for a moment before staring the newcomer down defiantly.  “Where’d Unicron dig you up at?  And how come you’re chatty, unlike Galvatron?”  The red-and-yellow Autobot snapped, placing his hands on his hips.

            The zombie-bot gave a shrug and grinned.  Although they had a traditional warrior’s facial shield, it was half-rotted away showing part of a mouth and jaw-cabling.   “Star Saber knows who I am, because _he’s_ the one who buried me there.  As for your other question……..my brain module may have rotted a bit, but I still actually have one—Galvatron doesn’t.  Our Master regenerated his head from scratch,” the rotting Cybertronian responded in something of a jovial tone.

            That was when Rodimus had noticed that Star Saber was upset and afraid………..and had backed away.

            “Star Saber, what’s wrong?”  Rodimus asked, full of concern for his bodyguard and friend.  He laid a steadying hand on the warrior’s trembling arm.

            “Come now, _sparkmate_ —you should really tell him who I am.  Don’t leave the little Prime in suspense!”  The zombie-bot laughed, warmly, shrugging with amusement.

            Rodimus glared at the half-rotted, animated corpse.  He was actually getting rather pissed off at the happy attitude and snarky commentary.

            “That……..that is………………. _was_ ……… ** _Wing Dagger_** ,” Star Saber whispered, all of his courage and strength seeming to drain away from him.

            Rodimus’ mouth dropped open, then he snapped it shut, clenching his jaw with determination.   He glared, again, at the corpse of Star Saber’s beloved Wing Dagger.   It made sense why this dead-but-animated Cybertronian was rotting and Galavatron wasn’t—Wing Dagger had been dead for a very long time and Galvatron had only been killed relatively recently!

            “ _Oooh_ , **_that_** is a fierce look, little Prime!”  Wing Dagger laughed, mockingly.   Then he reached back and pulled a sword from the sheath on his back.  “Well, although I know you’ll pose a problem for my Master—first I must take _my_ revenge.  Please move so I can be rid of this poor excuse for a servant of Primus,” the zombie-bot snapped, waving at Rodimus with his free hand.

            _Revenge_.  That’s what it all came down to.  Unicron’s three chosen Avatars all had a desire for venegeance.  Sideways could not be counted, as he had always belonged to Unicron, but the ancient God of Chaos clearly wanted revenge against Primus for Corona and all that happened between the three of them.  Rodimus, himself, certainly wanted revenge on Getaway.  Galvatron probably—at his core, anyways—wanted revenge on Optimus Prime or possibly even all of Cybertron in general, since he’d first been focused on killing Starscream and Windblade.  Wing Dagger clearly wanted revenge on the sparkmate who didn’t join him in death.

            “Fine then,” Wing Dagger sighed, rushing forwards with his W-Sword drawn back for a heavy swing—it was a broadsword, so it was meant to be swept around to _cleave_ things.

            Rodimus swiftly reached for the V-Saber from its sheath on Star Saber’s back, then he inelegantly kicked his bodyguard out of the way.  It was time to see if _any_ of Drift’s sword lessons had sunk into his memory processor.  The younger Cybertronian held the V-Saber almost perpendicular to the ground, with the point facing down to the floor and the grip facing up to the ceiling—then he pushed forwards to knock away Wing Dagger’s swing.  As the two blades connected, an audial piercing screech filled the large room.

            Wing Dagger growled fiercely.  “Sad little Prime, _please_ don’t get in my way.  You have no idea how long I’ve been _waiting_ for this…………..” he whispered angrily.

            Rodimus pushed back some more and the metal of the blades howled against each other.

            “Except………..it’s _not really you_ , Wing Dagger,” Rodimus said, calmly.  Even he was surprised at his own sense of calm.  “You’re just an extension of Unicron’s desire for revenge against Primus,” Rodimus added, pushing back harder and Wing Dagger stumbled back a few steps.  “ _His revenge against Corona_ ,” the younger Cybertronian said, loudly.

            The bellow from Wing Dagger’s rotted vocalizer was echoed by the very frame of Unicron itself.

            Rodimus backed into a waiting stance with the V-Saber at the ready.

 

*      *      *      *      *

 

            Unicron had finally appeared within visual range of Cybertron.  The spiked maw of the grey-and-orange planet-shaped God opened and a vacuum began.  Then, as if concerned that its prey might do something, part of the Chaos God’s round form shifted and a massive arm reached.  The clawed hand dug into the northern pole of Cybertron to hold it in place.

            Pain rippled through Cybertron itself as the sleeping Primus tried to awaken himself, to fight his ancient enemy.   But his long slumber still held sway over him…………so he knew it was _not yet_ his time to awaken and fight.   But………would his children know what they had to do?  For it seemed Corona had been forgotten by them all………..and he had none of Corona’s light left—he could not warp Unicron away.

            Vector Sigma sent waves of reassurance to Primus—the consciousness of Primus’ that was only alive while the God was asleep soothed the fears of his sleeping self.  The Master Programmer reassured his sleeping self that Corona’s light had been found and that the children knew what they needed to do.

            At least the _most important ones_ knew.

            “What are you doing?”  Megatron snapped, grabbing Optimus Prime’s arm roughly.   “Did I not just explain to you why we needed to wait for Rodimus’ signal?”  The former warlord growled as he saw Optimus go to open his chest for the Matrix.

            “Don’t you wonder if Rodimus………?”  Optimus began.

            Ratchet smacked Optimus Prime in the back of the head.  “You _really_ have it in for Rodimus, don’t you?  Why do you dislike the kid so much?”  The old medic sighed.

            “I don’t dislike Rodimus……….” the former Autobot Leader murmured.

            “You _do_.  Even when you came aboard the _Lost Light_ , you went straight to Ultra Magnus and not the Captain of the ship,” Ratchet growled.  He was there when _that_ happened.  “And then you installed Megatron as Captain on a vessel _PRIVATELY OWNED_ by Rodimus—it was a gift from Drift and _not_ a military vessel.  Everything you do around that kid circumvents him as a leader and it just _kills_ him,” Ratchet said, firmly, standing in front of Optimus with his arms crossed.  “Are you afraid of _him_ becoming a Prime?  Is _that_ it?”

            Megatron saw the look on Optimus Prime’s faceplate, despite the facial shield covering half of it, he knew that look.  There was a bit of anger………….and a surprising amount of jealousy.

            “ _Primus_!”  Megatron swore with exasperation.  “He’s _not_ a threat to you, Optimus—he doesn’t want your precious Matrix of Leadership, nor does he want to be worshipped as you are.  He wants to do what’s right _for Cybertron_ ………….because _you_ forced him to choose what he did in Nyon!”

            “I did _not_ ,” Optimus snapped, defending himself.  “I asked him to _evacuate_ his people!”

            “He showed you how bad it was in Nyon…………how could you think that one single person could evacuate thousands too weak to move at all?!”  Megatron roared, infuriated and understanding why Rodimus just dug his pain deeper and deeper inside of him.  Did _any_ of the Autobots _ever_ treat him with any kind of respect?   Blaze’s ego may not have made him very likable—but Rodimus’ intentions were _always_ focused on Cybertron and all life!   “Are you seriously that dense?   He struggles every single day to make up for what he did in Nyon!   And every life he loses along the path of his own life just reopens and digs into that wound!”  The former gladiator cried.

            “Megatron’s got a point—and if you _hadn’t_ placed him on that ship, I think Rodimus would’ve become long since crushed by the weight,” Ratchet responded, looking up into Optimus’ optics.   “Hell, **_I_** give him trouble—but even I know _how hard_ the poor kid tries.   He makes mistakes, and _a lot_ of them, because _until Megatron came along_ —nobody’s ever tried to guide him properly.  They just keep shoving him to the side, deciding he’s not worth the effort.”  Then the old medic incycled a deep breath.  “Just once, you should tell the kid _‘good job’_ —and I promise you, it’ll be worth it.   And right now, he’s doing something that’s scaring the hell out of him, to save Cybertron and everything he loves.  It’s time to trust him, Optimus.”

            All of the sudden, Megatron raised his head to look up at Unicron, a finger lightly tapping his audial.  “You can open the Matrix, _now_ ………” he said fiercely to Optimus Prime.

 

*      *      *      *       *

 

            Rodimus growled fiercely as Wing Dagger got past him.  Well………….this would totally be a _Rodimus_ move and not approved by Drift for any kind of use with a sword.  Which is probably why it was a good thing that Drift _wasn’t_ here to see him do it…………

            Rodimus jumped into the air, using a boost from the piping in his legs to get very high—almost to the ceiling high above them.   “ _Hrrgrahhhhh!_ ”  Rodimus snarled, fiercely.  He came down hard, plunging the V-Saber through the back of the zombie-bot—crushing Wing Dagger into the ground and driving the V-Saber to the hilt in the rotting mech and the floor beneath him.   The zombie-bot mewled like a newborn, unable to move his body at all with it pinned to the floor.

            And he had been _mere inches_ from his target………..!

            Rodimus rolled as he landed and came to his feet next to Star Saber.  “Are you alright?”  He asked, helping his bodyguard get to his feet.

            “ _Yes._   Thank you, my Prime,” the old warrior murmured softly.  He picked up the W-Sword from where it had slid at his feet, then he walked over and drove it down hard into Wing Dagger’s back—all the way to the hilt—next to the V-Saber already planted there.  “It’s only right that these blades meet their end together,” he explained to Rodimus.

            “ _Good enough_.  Now it’s time to do what we came here for,” Rodimus said as the approached the flashing golden orb at the far end of the room.  “Pray for me, Star Saber,” he asked, smiling at his devoted bodyguard.   Rodimus reached up and tapped his audial.  He didn’t know if Megatron would actually hear the message, but he’d send an alert ping along with it.  “ _I love you, old man_ …………”

            Star Saber held back several feet behind Rodimus, going to his knees and folded his hands together to begin praying in old Cybertronian.

            Rodimus opened his chestplate and found that a portion of the Corona Vitale had detached from the flat back—and it had irised open in a very odd manner in the front, almost like the petals of a flower.  There was no time to muse on the details right now, so the younger Cybertron simply pulled the Spark of Corona in its casing out of his chest……..closing his chest before raising the flowering metal above his head.  Light flickered and flowed all around them like a living thing.

            “ _Now light our darkest hour!_ ”  Rodimus begged, hoping that the Corona Vitale understood his plea.

            And understood, it did.  The metal housing fully opened, the petal-like pieces falling away and hovering around Rodimus in the outpouring of brilliant light.  Both Rodimus and Star Saber shuttered their optics heavily against the ocean of light that filled the massive room.

            It felt glorious, filling them both and purging all darkness in the room—in their very Sparks—and began leaking out of the seams of Unicron’s body.  There was a sense of indescribable joy added to the light when Primus’ power of knowledge began merging with it from the exterior of the God of Chaos’ body.  _Light and knowledge together………….the very spark of life!_

            **{Young missionary………..it is time to bring the lifebearer home!}**   Vector Sigma’s voice whispered into Star Saber’s mind.

            Star Saber ejected out of his Victory Armour and commanded it to transform into its alt mode, a sky sledge.  Then the old warrior grabbed the unconscious, but somehow still standing, Rodimus………as the light began flowing out of the room to greet the knowledge outside.   Star Saber jumped on his sky sledge with his precious burden and rocketed straight through the weakened skin of Unicron.

            As soon as they were zipping through Cybertron’s skies—the combination of Corona’s light and Primus’ knowledge warped Unicron away with a flash and a strangely silent little “ _pop_ ”.   Hopefully the warp took Unicron all the way back out to the edge of creation!

            Star Saber’s sky sledge crashed near the general area of Metroplex……….and both Megatron and Ratchet were there immediately.  The old religious warrior stopped the two from approaching any closer with a rough bark:  “Our dermal layers are _burning_ —get some coolant foam first!”

            Then Megatron saw the smoke and steam pouring from Rodimus, Star Saber’s general frame and the Victory Armour’s alt mode.   The former Decepticon Leader held everyone back until a medical team could arrive with coolant foam.

            “Are you both all right?”  Megatron called.

            “Yes, we’re……….we’re actually _better_ than fine.  Rodimus Prime’s systems are in recharge and I—I feel better than I have in a very long time, Star Saber responded, smiling.  He felt like all of his anguish and anger were gone.   He felt………… _purified_.

            Megatron tilted his head, curiously.  The tone of Star Saber’s voice was very different.  So very……. _happy_.

            “I’ve asked Velocity to prepare the loading deck of the _Crimson Light_ for triage—we’ll have to peel the burned dermal layer off of them,” Ratchet said to Megatron.  “Cybertron has their own injuries to deal with, so we’re on our own at the moment.  I’ll need some assistants to peel the burned skin away.”

            “I’ll assist,” Megatron said, firmly.  “Whirl, Magnus, Drift…………I’ll need you three as well!”  He called back to the members of the volunteer crew.   “Everyone else relax until we can determine it’s all right to leave!”  He said to the rest.

            “Drift and Magnus I could see, but why Whirl?”  Ratchet asked.  He watched as a medical team arrived and sprayed the two with coolant foam before disappearing back into Metroplex to deal with things.

            “His adherence to precision,” Megatron responded.

            “Ah, _that_ , yes……” Ratchet chuckled, smiling wryly.

 

*      *      *      *      *

 

            Velocity, Ultra Magnus and Drift worked on peeling the burned dermal layer off of Star Saber in his general frame—he said not to worry about the Victory Armour right now.   Megatron, Ratchet and Whirl worked on Rodimus, who was still unconscious.   Ratchet was being very careful about around the chest area, where the seared dermal layer had sealed his chestplate closed.  Whirl was taking special care around the head and spoiler while Megatron was peeling seared layers from his sparkmate’s legs.

            When Ratchet peeled some of the seared layer off the chestpanel, it popped open a bit.  “Dammit…..his chestplate’s _warped_.  I’ll need to see it gets replaced,” he mumbled.  Then he sent a comm-link mail message to First Aid back on Safehome to get on making Rodimus a new chestpanel.

            “Is the map all right?” Megatron asked, softly.

            “Yes, yes—it’s just an _external warping_ , the chest won’t latch shut,” the old medic snapped back.

            “ _Map_?”  Whirl echoed, looking up from his precision work.

            Both Ratchet and Megatron glared at the ex-Wrecker.

            “Okay, shutting up……..” Whirl groaned, focusing back on his work.

            “Oh……….. ** _hell_** ………” Ratchet gasped, getting a peek inside the chest.  “A damn preservation cradle and…….!”  All of the sudden Ratchet grabbed a nearby blanket and threw it over Rodimus’ chest, covering it completely.

            “Oi…….is he _dead_ then?”  Whirl asked, looking up again as Ratchet got to his feet.

            “Velocity!  Let those two work and get the medi-bay ready!”  Ratchet roared.  He now knew why Rodimus was still unconscious, even though Star Saber was perfectly awake and needed a painkiller to get through the dermal layer peeling.

            “Ratchet….?”  Velocity asked, softly, rising to her feet.

            “I need you to turn the medi-bay lights to their _dimmest mode_.  We’ll also need some nanite gel, three small size port connectors—input with a Q-1 plug, output with a Q-4 plug……get adaptors if you need to.  We’ll also need some CR fluid, I think one large canister should do it……….warm it up to a general body heat temperature—correction, heat it up to _Rodimus’ body heat temperature_ ,” Ratchet snapped as she began jotting down the directions on a datapad.

            “This _isn’t_ what I think it is…….?”  The Camien medic murmured.

            “Reset your optics to be working in near-darkness,” Ratchet added, shaking his head and not speaking more than that.

            After Velocity rushed off to prepare the medi-bay, Ratchet knelt back down to start peeling around Rodimus’ arms.  He made sure to leave the chest completely covered by the blanket.

            “Ratchet……..is Rodimus all right?”  Megatron asked, worry in his deep voice.

            “Remember when I said we’d talk about that Spark thing you two did earlier?   Well, _this_ is one of the many reasons why you shouldn’t—if I had known the Corona Vitale was a _preservation cradle_ , I’d have smacked you both across the universe!”  The old medic growled.

            “Hell if it hasn’t been forever since I’ve heard _that_ term,” Whirl chuckled.  He said no more and focused on peeling seared skin from the arm that Ratchet wasn’t working on.  “So………..is it…….?”  The ex-Wrecker began, completely unable to keep his mouth shut—or, rather, whatever served as his vocalizer without a physical mouth.

            “I swear to Primus, Whirl—I _will_ kill you if I hear anymore words from you right now,” the old medic threatened.

            “That’s fine, but you’re really scaring Megatron, you know,” Whirl responded, shrugging.  “At least reassure our Captain that ol’ Rodders isn’t going to die.”

            Ratchet did a doubletake and then he facepalmed himself.

            “Yes, _of course_.  Megatron—Rodimus is _not_ going to die,” Ratchet responded and then reached over to pat Megatron’s shoulder.  “We’re going to see something that probably nobody has really seen in like…….six or seven million years.  I hear they still do this on occasion on Eukaris………and Velocity would’ve been taught about it on Caminus.”

            In a few more moments, Ratchet got a response from Velocity that the medi-bay was ready, so Ratchet asked Megatron to pick up and carry Rodimus to the medi-bay.  But before leaving the shuttle bay, the old medic threatened Whirl with death beyond death if blabbed anything to anyone right now.  After laying Rodimus down on the medical slab, Ratchet asked Megatron to wait outside the medi-bay.

            Ratchet started a recording, both video and audio—because this would be something to document for the ages.

            “It has only been barely a full day since Rodimus received the Corona Vitale—because I did not see the object to begin with, I can only _conjecture_ the item was both spark-casing and preservation cradle.  If it truly is this Corona person’s Spark to begin with,” the old medic noted.  “With its life endangered by Unicron—and quite possibly stimulated by shared light—a portion of the Spark inside the Corona Vitale spliced itself off and attached itself to Rodimus’ Spark.  It is attached by a bio-line through the iris of Rodimus’ own Spark and is drawing from the young one’s life-force.”

            At the moment they were waiting for the nanite gel to solidify on the cradle before proceeding.  The preservation cradle had some fractures in it—and technically it should not have, but it was ancient metal.  Hopefully the nanites could interact with the metal of the cradle and fix the fractures.

            “There is no way to tell how the shared light of an Outlier and a point-one-percenter will affect this Spark-sliver from the Corona Vitale.   As shared light can strongly affect any Spark, it may accelerate the growth of this tiny one,” Ratchet continued his medical journal as he and Velocity gazed at the preservation cradle sitting in Rodimus’ chest.  It was a small box-like shape—even had a lid—made of an ancient metal that Ratchet couldn’t even fathom the elements of its construction of.   “Rodimus apparently opened the Corona Vitale to release its _‘light’_ and the spark-casing dissolved, leaving the preservation cradle behind—as if this Corona had prepared for the eventuality of this moment.  Velocity—what did Star Saber say the Corona Vitale did?”  He asked, motioning over to her to speak loudly for the recording.

            Velocity cleared her throat.  “Star Saber said a portion of the Corona Vitale detached, the gold spark-casing designed portion from the silver backing, which is the preservation cradle.   When Rodimus held the spark-casing above him, the metal appeared to _‘blossom’_ and fall like flower petals from the Spark in the center of it,” she reported.

            “I conjecture the detachment of the spark-casing from the preservation cradle likely initiated a need for part of the Spark to bond with Rodimus’ Spark through connecting a bio-line through the iris.  The bonding connection is possibly what knocked Rodimus offline, as this new Spark needs Rodimus to rest and preserve its integrity until we can get the preservation cradle functioning,” Ratchet continued.   “Now that we’ve waited a little bit for the nanite gel to solidify, the preservation cradle finally looks secure enough for the next step.  This will be plugging the preservation cradle into some of Rodimus’ internal bio-ports.  Once active, for the next four to six months, Rodimus will share his charge and fuel with the preservation cradle so the new Spark can grow.”

            Ratchet carefully pulled the back of the preservation cradle away from where it rested in the space below Rodimus’ Spark, in his chest.  Velocity was in awe that Ratchet called the right size for the port and plug adaptors without even seeing them!  They plugged the out-ports into Rodimus and the in-ports to the preservation cradle.

            “All right.  We’re using CR chamber fluid—specially designed and heated up for Rodimus’ frame—as the womb fluid in the preservation cradle.  It’s _honestly_ the best we can do at the moment, as proper bio-fluid for procedures like this usually take months to formulate.  Most CR fluids have the same properties as the traditional cradle bio-fluid.  Since this fluid is designed for Rodimus’ dormant Outlier frame and Spark—the secondary Spark should adapt and be all right with this replacement,” Ratchet said, seriously.  He poured the soft, reddish CR fluid into the preservation cradle and tested the lid without completely closing it.

            “Now, to coax the secondary Spark into letting go of Rodimus’ Spark,” Ratchet said, firmly.  He asked Velocity to take care of the next part while he kept an eye on all the vitals.

            Velocity gently scooped a finger in the CR fluid and brought the finger near the small secondary Spark.  The bright little aqua-colored Spark quivered with curiousity.  Then the Camien medic slowly moved her finger towards the open cradle.  “Come on, little one……….it’s so much safer for you in here.  Nothing will hurt you,” Velocity cooed in a soft voice.

            The little aqua Spark quivered some more and rolled over the top of Rodimus’ spark-casing.  It still kept connected with the bio-line through the iris of the younger Cybertronian’s spark-casing.  So, Velocity dipped her finger in the CR fluid again and brought it near the small Spark once more.  This time it followed her finger willingly and rolled into the preservation cradle, making a little splash in the reddish fluid.

            As soon as it sank in the CR fluid and floated easily in it, Ratchet snipped the bio-line and closed the preservation cradle.  Soon enough a protoform skin would form around it and a new bio-line would connect to the cradle itself to share Rodimus’ charge and fuel.  He and Velocity double-checked all the seals on the cradle and suddenly Rodimus gave a Spark-stopping gasp as he came online hard.  Ratchet held Rodimus down by the shoulders against the medical slab.

            “ _You’re fine_ —you’re good, kid,” Ratchet chuckled.  “I’ll warn you right now, don’t move too much yet—since we’re not quite done resolving this situation,” he added, managing to give Rodimus a small, reassuring smile.

            “But……….what’s……….Unicron……..?” Rodimus whispered, hoarsely.

            “ _Gone_.  And we’ll fill you in shortly.  Well—Velocity will explain it to you and I’ll have her play the log for you.  I need to go fill everyone else in on what just happened,” Ratchet responded with a sigh, but he smiled.

 

*      *      *      *      *

 

            Ratchet asked for everyone who’d come on the _Crimson Light_ to gather in the loading deck.

            “Before anyone asks……. _Rodimus is fine_.  And later I need to lecture our Captains on doing something without stopping to think about consequences,” Ratchet chided.

            “I would _love_ to be present for that,” a new voice said.  Starscream stood in the doorway to the loading dock, leaning on the doorframe lazily.

            “ _You_ , shush for now—you can yap at everyone after I’m done,” Ratchet sighed, folding his arms.  “Before I continue I want to ask for a show of hands to find out if anyone knows the terms I’m using.  _Preservation cradle_?”  Ratchet said, loudly.

            Three hands actually went up…….Whirl, Ultra Magnus and Starscream.

            “ _Shared light_?  _Bonding light_?”  A whole lot more hands went up with this one, nearly half the room.  “Primus, do I need to lecture _all of you_ , then?!”  Ratchet groaned, facepalming himself.  “Starscream—as a scientist, please tell everyone why shared light is a colossally bad idea!”

            “Very well,” Starscream chuckled.  “Sparks are our very cores and some people decided it would awesome to open our chests and show our Sparks to others.   Yes, all very sweet and fluffy………….however, Sparks are _fragile_ and Sparks are _spitting data_ constantly out into our body—the light isn’t _‘just light’_ , which is why our Sparks have their sentio metallico casings.”  The co-leader of Cybertron made some gestures with his hands as he continued explaining.   “Two people who shine the light of their Sparks on each other are allowing their personal bio-data to be swapped.   Oh, so you love each other—so, that’s okay?  _You are a fool to think that_.  Because oh-so-many different things can happen………..such as jumpstarting a dormant Outlier ability, becoming excessively sensitive to your partner’s feelings, it could also mutate the Sparks of you and your partner.  These are only a few possible things that can happen…….and maybe you’re thinking that, oh a five-percent risk is worth being romantic for?  _Fine_ , we can’t stop you from sharing an intimate moment with your partner, but at least be aware of the hazards before you do!”

            “Thank you for being brutally honest about it,” Ratchet responded with a wry smile.  “Megatron, I _was_ going to warn you about probably triggering Rodimus’ dormant Outlier ability—though you two being burned in your recharge slab together would make me laugh from here to the Pit—unfortunately neither of you realized what the Corona Vitale really was.   The fact that it had a preservation cradle attached to it means the Spark knew that it was awaiting revitalization through a life-foster system—and my guess is that your shared light Spark-boosted the Corona Vitale into preparing for it _immediately_.   The cradle was slightly damaged and the Spark knew it, which is why it bonded to Rodimus’ Spark and he was unconscious when Star Saber brought him back.  But……… _by Primus_!  You two are going to raise this protoform together or I’m going to send you into a mutual burial inside a supernova!”  Ratchet groaned loudly.

            “ _The bearer of god’s life_ …………..all the prophesies have been fulfilled now,” Megatron chuckled.  “Do not worry Ratchet, I promise you we shall be good parents.   And I apologize, however—this time it really was _Rodimus’_ fault.  I had no intention of showing him my faded, old Spark.”

            “Question?  What exactly is a preservation cradle?”  Star Saber asked, raising a hand.

            “It’s a special box inserted into the body, connected to the host to share charge and fuel—as a way of fostering a newborn Spark.   In Cybertron’s past—this wasn’t always used to proper ends, but on worlds like Eukaris where newborns can be exposed to various hazards, something like this was far more common,” Ratchet explained.  “It’s a temporary measure until the protoform has formed up fully, having arms and legs basically.”

            “Congrats, Captain Megs!   You knocked up our li’l Rodders—not too shabby for an old mech like you!”  Whirl laughed.

            Megatron facepalmed himself.  Did Whirl did _not_ understand that biological functions such as that were impossible for Cybertronians?  But, even so, the shared light of their Sparks may well have triggered a preservation instinct in Corona’s Spark—so, he and Rodimus were somewhat _peripherally responsible_ for this odd development.  Then, suddenly, a couple of things occurred to him……..

            “Wait……….two questions?  Just for clarification, of course,” Megatron said, suddenly, raising a hand.  “For you, Ratchet—what _color_ was the new Spark?”

            “It was aqua-colored……..why?”  Ratchet asked, puzzled.

            “ _Definitely_ Corona’s Spark!”  Star Saber chuckled.

            “I thought so, but I needed to confirm it for certain—we potentially have the Spark of a God here,” Megatron replied.  “Secondly, _why_ are you here Starscream?”  He asked, turning to face the co-leader of Cybertron.

            “Ah, _that_.  Windblade told me to keep out of everyone’s way, so I came out here to check on you all,” Starscream chuckled.  “It was well worth the amusement.  But besides that—I would like to request that you all not leave yet.  However, am I correct in assuming you don’t want Rodimus up-and-about, yet?”  He asked, glancing at Ratchet.

            “Preferably,” the old medic grumbled.

            “Well, _damn_.  I really must request that Rodimus and Megatron come before the council,” the old Seeker sighed.   “We won’t be assembling for five hours.  If you could somehow see Rodimus to the council chambers by then—trust me, it _will be_ worth the trip.”

            “Then I’ll see what we can do,” Ratchet promised.  “Megatron, why don’t you go see Rodimus?  I think he’d be really happy to see you right now.”

            Megatron nodded and went to the Crimson Light’s small medi-bay.  Rodimus seemed to be in a very good mood as he talked to Velocity, but when he saw Megatron come in, he utterly radiated joy and made grabby-hands towards Megatron for a hug.

            “Are you okay?”  Megatron murmured, leaning down for the hug and then gratefully took the chair Velocity offered to him.

            “Very weirded out by the twist ending……….but I’m alive?   So, I _guess_ that means I’m okay!”  Rodimus laughed.  “The Corona Vitale kinda broke in half and the one part I opened for the light is all gone, instead I’ve got this metal box in my chest with Corona’s rejuvenated Spark?”

            “Ratchet threatened to drop us into a supernova if we aren’t good parents to Corona’s protoform,” Megatron chuckled.   “The question now is…….will this be a _normal_ Cybertronian protoform—or a _God_ reborn?”  The former warlord murmured.  “And what will happen in the far future, when Unicron returns again?”

            “Questions that you and I probably can’t really answer,” Rodimus said, shrugging at his sparkmate.  “Odds are………unless the protoform starts talking with big words instantly and displaying God-like powers right away—we’ll all _probably_ just assume they’re an Outlier.”

            “Like _you_ , apparently,” Megatron quipped with a smile.

            “Oh.  _That_.  It’s been dormant forever………..I was only able to use it recently with Skids’ spark-spasm,” Rodimus murmured.  “But it’s the reason my systems run hot and fast.  Now, though…….?”  He trailed off, holding up a hand and in a few seconds it was enveloped in a small, writhing flame.   “Kinda _weird_ , but okay!”  The younger Cybertronian laughed.  “I _promised_ you I wouldn’t die……well, unless the whole universe did.  How’s Star Saber doing?  Fighting the Avatar of Deception really shook him up.”

            “He’s fine.  He said he’s _better than fine_ —he sounds very happy,” Megatron chuckled in response.

            “It was Corona’s light………..it was _so purifying_!”  Rodimus said, happily.  “The Avatar of Deception…..Unicron dug up Wing Dagger—Star Saber’s old friend, the one who made their armour.  Wing Dagger was half-rotted, but very chatty—he called Star Saber his _‘sparkmate’_.  I never pried into Star Saber’s past, but given how little he spoke about his friend and the feelings deep in his voice when he did—it _might_ be true.”

            “ _Hm_.  Did you see an Avatar of Lust?   And what about Sideways?”  Megatron asked.

            “I didn’t see a final Avatar.  I wonder if Sideways is trapped here in our area of space now—he was preparing planets for Unicron to eat,” Rodimus answered, crossing his arms over his chest.  “If so, we _may_ run into him and he may be………….rather unhappy with me, personally.  Unless he sensed Unicron about to be warped, then went to be with his Master.  Sideways is definitely an independent ‘bot though—he serves Unicron willingly and can teleport on his own.  Greater distances if he’s within Unicron’s teleport range.”

            “Then, I suppose things have been settled as best as we can get them,” Megatron said.  “Starscream said he needed to see us—and it sounds _very serious_.  So………we have to wait until Ratchet says it’s all right with you going, sometime within the next five hours.”

            “ _Great_ ………..” Rodimus sighed.

 

*      *      *     *      *

 

            “Thank you both for coming, it is greatly appreciated,” Windblade said, warmly, smiling at Megatron and Rodimus.  “Rodimus, are you comfortable enough?”  She asked with concern.

            “Well, this box in my chest isn’t exactly the height of fashion—and it’s throwing off my balance a little bit.  As long as I don’t have to stand, I should be fine,” Rodimus responded with a grin.

            “We will accommodate that,” Windblade chuckled.

            After everyone settled down, Starscream stood up and held his hands out for attention.  “The council has been having large discussions over a particular matter recently, based upon all the events of late.  Megatron of Tarn, please stand,” Starscream said, firmly.

            Megatron, puzzled, rose to his feet.

            “I believe we owe our very existence to you—you were the one who chased the contrails of a forgotten myth for a solution to the problem of Unicron.  You _succeeded_ and Cybertron is safe………at least for the next few billion years—and by the time Unicron comes back again, we shall all likely be dust.  The future generations will learn from our history what they can do, when that time comes,” Starscream continued.

            “I _love_ Cybertron, I would never let it be destroyed if it were within my ability to save it,” Megatron said, humbly.

            “And I feel that perhaps we’ve perhaps overlooked that fact under your previous condemnation that landed you upon the _Lost Light_ ,” Starscream sighed.  “Even **_I_** chose to try to blame and bury you.  But the simple facts are………..if we did not allow your parole on that ship and events occurred as they did—we may well not even be here today.  The Matrix of Leadership may have delayed our deaths, but they’d still come.”

            Starscream paused, incyling a deep breath.

            “Megatron of Tarn.  You were a _monster_ during the war, nothing can deny that…………however, you were _not_ the only one who had taken massive amounts of lives.  Cybertron was seeking a scapegoat in your trial—a way to bring a decisive end to the war.  I think the sacrifice of you or Optimus Prime would’ve done it,” the co-leader of Cybertron continued.  “But if we keep doing such emotionally charged things as _that_ , we may not survive into the future if we keep killing our population for reasons such as these.”

            Rodimus reached up and grabbed Megatron’s hand.  He _saw_ it!   He saw where this was going!  _Primus_!  When he felt his partner grab his hand, Megatron looked down at him, puzzled.  Rodimus tapped his audial for a private link.

            **[Are you dense, old man?]** Rodimus laughed in his communique.  **[They’re gonna cancel your retrial and stuff!]**

            “But **_everyone_** deserves a second chance,” Starscream said, firmly.  His voice sounded rich and powerful as he spoke these words……like a _true leader_.  “I received a second chance and was able to find my sparkmate in the end.  You, Megatron, have found _everything_ you had always wanted—a place where everyone lives the lives they want, _everyone is equal_ ……..as well as a partner who means everything to you.  You _deserve_ that chance to live your life without a fear of the future.”

            “I am truly humbled by your words, honored council,” Megatron said softly, dipping his shoulders with respect.

            “Megatron of Tarn, there will be no continuation of a trial that _never happened_ in the first place, all records of such a trial _no longer exist_ ,” Starscream said, firmly.  “As for how you wound up aboard Rodimus Prime’s _personal vessel_ , the _Lost Light_ ………..we can only guess that it was your desire to learn and explore which motivated you.”

            “Thank you all, so very much,” Megatron responded, bowing deeply, in acceptance of the decision.  He was finally _free_ …………free to keep living without a fear of a future execution and to keep loving Rodimus forever!

            Then Starscream motioned for Megatron to sit down.  “Given your situation, please remain seated, Rodimus Prime,” Starscream chuckled.  “Yours is so much shorter and _probably_ pretty obvious.”

            Rodimus chuckled and nodded.

            “The rules of naming a Prime tend to focus on observing an individual showing the signs of affinity and being chosen by the Matrix of Leadership,” Starscream began.  “I think we’ve all confirmed you’ve displayed _all_ the signs of affinity—plus, for a very brief time, the Matrix _chose you_.  It chose you in a manner it had never chosen any other Prime.  There should no longer be any doubt in this matter.  It is this council’s great honor to name you Rodimus Prime.”

            “Which _everyone_ has been calling me for weeks now anyways—thanks to Blaze,” Rodimus laughed.

            “Now you can consider it confirmed, honored and official,” Starscream responded with a smile.  “Do you still intend on continuing your quest?”

            “Oh yeah, _that’s_ not gonna change…………but we now have the luxury of taking our time to do it,” Rodimus said with a firm nod.   “Now we can make plans and follow the map _RIGHT_.”

            “Are you drawing another map?”  Windblade asked softly.

            “Are…….?”  Rodimus began, puzzled.  He forgot for a moment that everyone was NOT aware of the map drawn on the inside of his chestplate.  Ratchet had sealed his chest with medical tape until they got back to Safehome and could replace his chestplate.  “Oh, _yeah_ , don’t worry about that, we’ll be good!”  He laughed, lightly patting his chest.

            “I hope that you keep us informed on your new discoveries along the way?”  Starscream inquired.

            “The research base of Safehome is at Cybertron’s disposal, feel free to give us requests—and especially grants—for anything you need done,” Rodimus responded with a huge grin.  “And if you should need to commission my private vessel, the _Lost Light_ , for anything………we would be happy to do so, for a nominal fee.”

            “We shall keep that in mind, Rodimus Prime,” Starscream chuckled, with a nod at the two of them.

            “Well, old man………we should get home.  Can you carry me back to the ship?”  Rodimus asked, squeezing the hand of Megatron’s that he’d grabbed again.

            “It would be my pleasure………. _Rodimus Prime_ ,” Megatron said, with nothing but warmth and fondness in his voice.

 

 

**_ The End _ **

 

 

 

Will you continue to the bonus?  --> “ ** _After_** ”

**Author's Note:**

> This is pretty much the end of the action and adventure of this series. I have a fluffy little bonus--a "happily ever after"--to be added this coming weekend.
> 
> Thank you all for sticking with this long series that I began in the end of 2016--if you read from "Sparks" until "Prime", you can see the depth and detail that got added. The story threads that ran through.........after a sappy little romantic "trilogy" started it all.
> 
> But heck, after "Lost Light" #18............I feel like I need to keep continuing this now. Perhaps one day in the future I'll write more in this A.U. of mine. *chuckle*


End file.
